“It’s not strong evidence,” Bella said, popping to her feet. “Anyone can use someone else’s code to hack into a system.”
Evon took hold of her arm and tried to tug her back down, but she would have none of it, twisting her arm in his grip and pulling as hard as she could.
“Silence,” Commander Tyrell tilted his head, his gaze gone from severe to angry.
Bella didn’t sit down. Nor did she stop talking. “I don’t care how advanced you think your cyber security is, even if someone can’t break his code, they can hack the system that created it. There is always a back door, always a way in. Someone using Liam’s code proves nothing.”
“The codes have never been broken,” the woman from Sector 1 insisted.
“I can break them.” Bella’s declaration brought the room to sudden silence.
The commander rose to his feet, a very clear threat in his eyes. I rose to stand next to her as Evon did the same.
“My mate is a highly skilled computational technician,” Liam offered. “She is well versed in this type of activity.”
Meaning, she was a hacker and could break into systems.
“I can prove it,” she said. “I can prove Liam is innocent and that you have a very serious problem in your security system.”
Evon’s father arched a silvery brow. “You’re from Earth?”
“Yes.”
“Such a primitive planet. How do you think you can infiltrate Coalition systems?”
She crossed her arms, but focused on the woman from Sector 1, or rather, on the tablet she carried.
“Is that tablet linked to the rest of the system?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“If I may use that, I can show you.”
The other members of the panel were looking to Commander Tyrell, not at Liam.
Liam looked as if he were about to fling Bella over his shoulder and run off with her.
Evon was as still and fucking stiff as a statue.
The commander remained silent for a moment, then nodded. The woman held out her tablet. Bella looked up at me, determination in her eyes. I followed her up to the raised dais where she took the proffered tablet.
Her head lowered as her fingers flew over the flat screen. “I assume the video or whatever visual evidence you should have had from the transport room doesn’t exist.”
I hadn’t thought of that. Whomever did murder the poor technician and transported the stolen goods, they would have appeared on the security vids. If they erased all video evidence, only the security access code would connect someone to the crime. Liam.
Bella didn’t wait for a reply, for she knew the answer.
“You are Evon’s father and have three other children. Your name is Bywen Alixor Tyrell. You were born in Sector 2 to a widow name Janza, your father Alix having died in the Hive wars serving Battleship Zakar, Sector 17, before you were born. You broke your left ring finger when you were twelve and this is why you only purchased a ring for your mate when you claimed her, never acquiring one for yourself.” Bella kept her eyes on the tablet as she spoke. “Ah, that’s so sweet. Earth marriages have rings, too. Let’s see…your residence in Viken United has had deliveries for some kind of food item I’ve never heard of. Pornice? Is that it?”
Whispers came from the panel and I saw that the commander’s face was turning a ruddy red. She was learning more than she should while proving her point. Pornice was a rich delicacy imported from Prillon Prime. It was fattening and famously expensive. Only rich snobs requested it on Viken. But Bella wouldn’t know that and pointing it out now would only come across as obnoxious.
“Let’s see. That’s all very interesting, but let’s dig a little deeper.” Her fingers flew over the tablet, almost faster than I could see, her eyes darting rapidly, analyzing and adapting to what she saw. I was in awe. Her mind was working faster than any I’d ever seen. When a sly grin tilted the corner of her lip, I braced myself for worse than Pornice. “I see you are a member of a club called Trinity in Central City, which isn’t far from here. You’ve been a Master there for twenty years and are marked with a three-headed serpent on the inside of your wrist. Your commanding officer made note of it in your file, but next to it he wrote something about the habit not affecting your combat skills? Whatever this ‘habit’ is?” She shrugged, her fingers, flying over the pad again. “Your mate also belongs to the club. Her name is—”
“Enough!” It wasn’t the commander who shouted, but Dravon.
Evon had paled, his face unmoving, hard as granite. Trinity was a members-only sex establishment in the largest city on the northern continent. That meant that Evon’s father was a Master-level Dominant with years of training. I hid a grin. Seemed our Evon came by the tendency quite naturally.
Nothing Bella had said was a matter of planet-wide security, but the commander was embarrassed. As a Master Dominant, he would have participated in a wide variety of sex acts, hopefully with Evon’s mother, although it was known that members often swapped sexual partners.
Bella lifted her head then. “I can go on. Give me access to a fully functional communications station here, and I bet I can hack the security access codes of every member of this station.” Her head tilted to the side, and I realized she was talking more to herself than anyone else in the room. “Or swap them. If no one knows who’s who, a switch might be easier than a full hack.”
“It appears my mate has proven her point.” Liam’s crisp words were spoken quickly, to keep the panel and everyone off the tidbits learned about one of Viken’s highest leaders. “I am quite sure the private personnel file of our esteemed commander was not without protection.”
The Sector 1 panel member spoke. “It does seem as if the information your mate has shared was confidential enough for me to have reasonable doubt as to the use of your access code.” She looked to the others. “Do you agree?”
Three of them nodded and she waited for Commander Tyrell’s ruling. While his was not necessary; if he disagreed, he would still be outnumbered four to one in favor of Liam’s release.
He stared at Bella, then Evon. My friend put a hand on her shoulder.
“I am convinced we need to investigate this matter further,” the commander said. “Release him, but he is not to leave the station.”
“Yes, sir.” The guard nearest Liam removed the manacles from his wrists, as Bella took a small hop in her excitement and pulled me into her in celebration. I was proud of our new mate, and knew Evon was as well. His arms came around her, here, on full display of his family. But Evon’s brother rose, icy anger settled over him like a cloud, making his eyes cold, hard points glittering in his flushed face.
“How dare you?” He was walking toward us, toward Evon. “How dare you do this, brother?”
Evon turned and pushed Bella behind him before turning to face his brother. Face-to-face, they were nearly mirror images of one another. Same golden hair, same height and build, but Dravon was five years younger and spoiled. Hot-headed. He’d not been hardened by battle as Evon had. As I had. He was, in my mind, still a child. An impulsive, rude little boy who needed his ass kicked.
“Careful, Dravon.”
“Or what?” Dravon pushed Evon in the chest, going nose to nose with his older brother. “A few hours with your cock buried in your mate’s wet pussy and you lose your mind? We all know Liam is guilty. His family bleeds for the VSS, always has. I can’t believe you’re so stupid as to believe him.” Dravon glanced at me, at Bella, then back at Evon. “He’s a liar and a murderer, and I’m going to make sure he pays for what he did.”
The young fool pushed Evon again, but I knew my friend, knew he would never dishonor his family as Dravon did now. The little bastard needed to be put in his place, but Evon would not be the one to do it.
I, however, had no such inhibitions. And I didn’t like him talking about Bella. She was mine. And her hot, wet pussy? That was fucking mine, too.
Liam shouted at me to stop, but it was too late.
With a shout of laughter, I pulled back and then punched the cocky little bastard right in the face.
He flew back, dead weight when he hit the floor. Hard.
Not hard enough.
“Gods be damned, Rager!” Liam yelled at me, but I was watching Dravon twist and roll on the floor, coming back to himself. The commander shouted at the guards to take me down, but I didn’t care. No, I wanted to strike him again for his disrespect of both my friend and my mate.
“Stay down, you arrogant little ass. How dare you speak to Evon that way?” I bellowed the last. “And never speak of my mate again or I will pound you into dust.”
I took a step toward him, but small, soft hands wrapped around my elbow, pulling me back.
“Rager! Stop!” Bella’s voice was like a chime in my mind, waking me up. I glanced around to see four guards with ion blasters pointed at my chest.
Chapter Eight
Evon
Rager was enraged, out of control. I knew him to be Viken, but I had to wonder if he were part Atlan beast. When he became angry, it was as if he were possessed by some inner animal. That he protected me…
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Liam move toward him, but Bella, our fearless mate, wrapped her hands around Rager’s arm.
I remained motionless, ready to move quickly should he fail to regain control. But Bella’s touch, or perhaps her voice, snapped him back to himself. He still towered over Dravon, who remained sprawled on the floor. Blood seeped from my brother’s nose to his upper lip and he raised his arm to wipe the liquid away on his sleeve.
“Arrest this man,” Dravon shouted.
Two of the four guards surrounding us lowered their weapons and took a step forward. I raised my hand and stepped in front of Rager and our mate. “No. You deserved worse, brother.”
My brother scowled at me from his position on the floor as Thalia stepped out from where she’d been sitting and helped him back up. The moment his feet were solidly beneath him, he shrugged her off as if her touch burned. She stood to the side, glancing between our brother and Rager, her heart in her eyes.
I’d known for long months she wanted Rager for her own. Our decision to follow the new way, the kings’ way, and share a bride had killed her fragile hope. But she was hard, a true soldier, unlike our spoiled little brother. She didn’t act on her desires, kept them to herself, but I knew her well and her looks betrayed her. At least to me.
When the commander, our father, raised his hand, silence descended and I could hear nothing but my own racing heartbeat and Dravon’s ragged breathing.
“Lower your weapons.”
The guards did as he bid and stepped back. Bella crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her foot, and raised a brow at our father. The vision of our defiant little mate staring down one of the most powerful commanders of Viken would be burned into my memory for all time. Our beautiful Bella. Her courage made my cock hard and all I could think about for long seconds was grabbing her by the hair, shoving her up against the wall and burying myself balls deep until my seed power conquered her body, made her melt in my arms. Surrender. Although she was passionate enough I knew the seed power wasn’t really needed. She desired us enough without it. I wanted all that fiery intelligence, the steel in her spine, and I wanted her to bend in submission to me. To give it to me like the most precious gift.
Hard as iron, my cock throbbed and I had to swallow hard, take a deep breath and close my eyes to force the image from my mind as my father continued.
“Evon, your brother is correct. You know of the Chyron family’s link to the VSS. How can you believe in Liam Chyron’s innocence with such clear and damning evidence?” He inclined his chin to Bella, but he wasn’t finished. “I know your mate claims to be able to prove otherwise, and she’s certainly made an attempt to sway us.” Sway? She’d exposed some of his most personal secrets to a judicial panel. I tried not to roll my eyes at my father’s ability to be ever the diplomat. “The panel has agreed to allow you to try, Bella of Earth.”
He put an emphasis on the word “try” as if he knew Liam to be guilty and there would be no evidence otherwise.
Bella nodded, her chin lifted, her gaze direct. Most would cower and placate my father. Not Bella. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” the commander agreed, then looked to me. “Tomorrow you will have to make a choice, son. When your mate is unable to prove her claims, Liam will be found guilty. And he will be executed.”
“No.” I refused to believe Liam was responsible. I knew him not to be. I had no proof, but I didn’t need it. I knew Liam.
“He’s a traitor.” Dravon wiped the blood from his face once more, smearing the red liquid over his cheek as he continued to bleed, and suddenly I wished Rager had struck him harder. Knocked him out. The stubborn little fool. “If you take his side, Evon, if you side with a traitor, you will no longer be my brother.”
Thalia gasped, but my father said nothing and I knew, with a sinking feeling in my gut, that he felt the same. I saw it in his eyes. He was waiting for me to step away from my mate, from my warrior brothers who would ultimately claim Bella together. For them. For a stilted version of patriotism. For a blindness that would drive a wedge in our family.
Liam and Rager turned to me. Rager’s expression was filled with annoyed disbelief. He’d never understood what it meant to belong to my family, the honor and the expectations. But Liam knew. All too well, for he’d defied his father, been disowned. He’d walked alone for many years and only now, in this moment, did I fully understand the price he’d paid. The deep sense of loss. He mourned something that was still alive.
Liam shook his head at me, the move nearly imperceptible. And that was the only reminder I needed. Even now, Liam protected me, protected our new family. He expected me to turn my back on him as his own father had, his siblings, even his mother. He wanted Rager and me to keep Bella, to make her ours. To keep the connection to my family.
Not today. No fucking way.
“Liam is innocent,” I said, holding my brother’s gaze. “I would stake my life on his loyalty. He would never betray us.” I took a step toward my brother, who wisely backed away. He’d never seen me this angry, the rage like ice in my veins. “If you speak ill of my family again, Dravon, it will be you who are no longer my blood.”
“Enough!” My father bellowed that one word and I turned to find his eyes blazing with frustration. “The truth will be revealed soon enough.” He looked at Bella. “Tomorrow. You have until tomorrow.”
“Fine.” Bella slipped her hand into Rager’s, but looked between Liam and me. “Can we go now?”
“Yes.” I settled my hand on Thalia’s shoulder in thanks and her eyes met mine, the familiar blue dark with a tempest of emotion I had no hope of unraveling. “Thank you, little sister.”
When she remained silent, her gaze drifting between the three men of her family who were all clearly at odds, I motioned to Liam. “Let’s go, Liam, and help our mate prove your innocence.”
I wasn’t sure where Thalia’s alliance rested. I would not question her about it. It wasn’t important. Proving Liam’s innocence was. I knew my family was lost to me now. Whether she was among those who would consider me a disgrace, I would have to wait and see.
Rager led Bella out the door with Liam falling in behind. I watched the soft sway of her hips beneath the cream pants, the trim shirt. While she was small like an Earth female, she looked Viken now. With our seed in her belly, the Viken clothing covering her lush curves, she was ours more than ever. I wanted to touch her, feel her, breathe in her scent to remind myself of that. She was ours. I walked at the back, as far away from Bella as I could get, afraid I’d give in and take her here, in the hall. I’d never been more desperate to claim a woman, to put my mark on her soul, as I was with our brave little human. Especially now, risking the consequences of a judicial panel for interrupting, the disrespect.
We returned to our suite in silence, but the moment the door sli
d closed behind us, I locked it, using a personal security code reserved for the highest-ranking officers at the IQC. Besides me, Rager and Liam, no one but one of the kings could override the locks.
Liam was facing me, Bella and Rager behind him, when I turned away from the door.
“Evon,” he said, then sighed. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“No. I should have done it a long time ago.” When he opened his mouth to protest, I raised my hand in a gesture I knew probably looked almost exactly like my father had a few short minutes ago. “I will not yield nor change my mind.”
That stopped him from speaking, his mouth parted as if he were about to argue, but I dismissed his rebuttal with a wave of my hand.
“This family is mine. Bella is ours. No one will break us. No one.” Bella hadn’t moved, her hand in Rager’s, but her eyes widened as I took a step toward her. She had no idea what I’d just done, what Liam and I were talking about. “You were magnificent, Bella. So proud. So strong. A worthy mate.”
Her cheeks darkened and I knew Rager squeezed her hand in agreement, but I was in a strange mood. The threat to my new family crystallized for me just how crucial protecting it was. And that powerful new understanding drove me now, to reassert my claim as the dominant in the room. This was my family, my mate. They were mine to protect, mine to pleasure, just…mine.
“Take off your clothes, Bella.”
She shook her head to argue. “I need a work station or a computer. Something I can use to start learning your coding system. This NPU thing is amazing.” She tapped her fingers to her temple. “It helped me decipher that tablet in record time, thank god, but I need more time if I’m going to crack open the military communications system.”
Her mind was not where I wanted it to be.
“Take. Off. Your. Clothes.”
“Evon. But what about—”
“After we fuck you, mate. After you scream. After you know who you belong to.”
Her mouth fell open. “But I already do. I need a computer. I want to—”
Her Viken Mates (Interstellar Brides Book 11) Page 8
